Click Through Culture: The downside of E-Learning and what to do about it
Over the past 20 years, E-learning has become the go-to for professional development and training in most industries. But let's be honest, many of these solutions just don’t cut it when it comes to keeping learners engaged. We've all been there, mindlessly clicking through a training module just to tick the box that says, “Lesson Completed.”
But what are we really learning?
Check out this TikTok that hilariously sums up the issue:
This video is so relatable - it highlights how tempting it is to just breeze through content without truly engaging with it.
The downside? Mindlessly clicking through leads to poor retention of information and a lack of practical application in the workplace. As much as organisations don’t want to admit it, training like this is often a waste of time and resources.
Click-through culture has developed as a coping mechanism for dealing with content that is often “walls of words” – boring and uninspiring. When training materials don’t capture our attention, we revert to the fastest way out – clicking through as fast as we can without actually absorbing the information.
Why Engagement Matters
Active engagement is crucial for effective learning. Engaged learners are more likely to remember the information, understand complex concepts, and apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios. According to this study published by Tandfonline, “When students are actively engaged, there is a greater likelihood of increased participation in studies, ultimately contributing to enhanced retention of knowledge and heightened motivation to learn”. On the flip side, passive learning results in minimal retention and wasted training resources.
Causes of Low Engagement in E-Learning include:
1. Monotonous Content: The primary culprit behind disengaged learners is dull content. Training modules often lack the creativity needed to keep people interested.
2. Lack of Interaction: Most e-learning platforms offer little to no interaction. Without interactive elements like discussions, hands-on activities and real world simulations, learners quickly lose interest.
3. Poorly Designed Assessments: Assessments that only measure completion rather than understanding contribute to the click-through mentality. Instead of traditional A, B, C, D click-through quizzes, incorporating visual or interactive elements can make assessments more engaging and effective. This encourages learners to focus less on finishing and more on understanding the material.
Strategies to Enhance E-Learning Engagement - Try adding these to your training!
Touchable Content: Integrating videos, quizzes, and real life practice can significantly boost engagement. Interactive content breaks the monotony and keeps staff actively involved.
Meet Learners Where They Stand: Personalised learning paths tailored to individual needs and preferences can make training more relevant and engaging. When we see the direct application of the content to our roles, we're more likely to engage.
Just-in-Time Feedback: Providing timely feedback and support can help us stay on track. Constructive feedback encourages continuous improvement and reinforces learning.
Real-World Applications: Incorporate case studies, simulations, and real-world scenarios that allow learners to apply what they've learned in practical situations. This makes learning more relevant as staff get to do rather than just watch on screen.
Communities of Practice: Encourage group activities and discussions, whether that be in person, in internal online forums, or on collaborative projects. This can make learning a much more interactive and social experience.
Break it Down Learning: Break down content into small, manageable chunks. Microlearning modules are easier to digest and can keep learners' attention better than longer sessions.
Interactive Storytelling: Use storytelling techniques to create engaging narratives around the learning material. Interactive stories that require learners to make decisions can keep them engaged and interested.
Regular Updates and Fresh Content: Continuously update the content to keep it fresh and relevant. Stale content can quickly lead to disengagement. Many of us will remember watching old VHS tapes in our training days and feeling like they were too old to teach us anything! Regularly updated material maintains interests and relevance.
Dynamic Multimedia: Use a mix of videos, animations, infographics, and audio clips to cater to different learning styles and keep the content dynamic and interesting. It's important that media is embedded as part of the learning experience, rather than just added to tick a box with no context.
E-learning still has potential, but it needs to overcome the engagement barrier to be truly effective. It's time to move beyond the click-through culture and create a more meaningful learning experience!
Need more?
Want to move beyond the click-through culture? Get in touch.
About the author
Tricia Martin is an FYA Young Social Pioneer and an Australian Women Leading Tech Finalist. She also coached an Under 9’s netball team in her local community, which she thinks is just as impressive. She continually looks for ways to use technology, behavioural science and digital experiences to meet people’s needs and find people-centred solutions to messy problems. She spends her free time reading sci-fi books, scouring thrift stores and watching Buffy for the fifteenth time.
